<\/p>\n

On my way to a recent flight, while I was frantically putting my shoes back on among a pushy crowd in that tiny space past the scanning machine, my mind began to wander from its immediate train of thought (which, at that moment, included a fantasy involving my shoe coming into contact with the person\u2019s head behind me) to one that was slightly more peaceful and productive: How can the process of flying be improved outside of the plane?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s no secret the flying experience doesn\u2019t exactly rate at the top of most people\u2019s list of pleasurable activities they endure in life (tax preparation and colonoscopies are probably close runner-ups). However, I began to think there must be a number of easy, inexpensive ways the overall flight experience outside the plane could be improved, and which could help in reducing stress, adding comfort and making the task of getting from point A to point B slightly less painful than the current Hunger Games-like experience it is now.<\/p>\n

In that spirit, here are 10 of my ideas.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

1) Improve the Scanning Machine Area<\/span><\/p>\n

Why must the process to collect our belongings at security be so difficult? Not only does each person likely have a bag or two being scanned, but they probably have at least one or two separate bins making their way down the scanning machine conveyor belt filled with their keys, laptop, jacket, carry-ons and shoes. \u00a0After scanning, the TSA expects you to collect all of these items, organize them and be on your way \u2014 shoeless I may add \u2014 in a matter of seconds before the person\u2019s belongings behind you comes barreling into yours.<\/p>\n

I know this area is oftentimes restricted by the layout of the terminal, but why must everyone cram together in the same tiny space while frantically attempting to collect their things, stick their computers in their cases, put their shoes on and stuff their keys and loose change in their pockets once everything\u2019s been scanned?<\/p>\n

Why not extend the length of that portion of the conveyor belt to accommodate at least three or more people and their belongings? If there isn\u2019t enough space to do that, just move up the scanning machine itself. There only needs to be space enough for one person to load their belongings at the beginning. Plus, that would likely lead to less of a logjam at the end.<\/p>\n

Or, if it hasn\u2019t been done already, how about every security area set up waist-high tables next to the conveyor belt? Then you can simply grab your items and quickly transfer them to an area away from the conveyor belt.<\/p>\n

I know some terminals are simply making do with what space they have, but it would make more sense to plan the layout beginning with the exit area first, then going from there.<\/p>\n

2) Why Must I Walk So Much?<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s the year 2014, and I was told we would have flying cars by now. Not only are we still using old-fashioned land-based cars, but we still have to walk ages just to get to our gate. Seriously, have you timed how long it takes to get to your gate from security at a major airport? If you\u2019re at the end of the terminal, you could easily be looking at a 15-minute walk.<\/p>\n

Myself, I don\u2019t mind getting in as much footwork as possible before settling into a sedentary position for the next few hours, but I sincerely feel for the elderly, those with disabilities or those who happen to be running late for their flights. Sure, there are a few walking escalators here and there, but come on, they\u2019re rarely longer than 100 feet long, so they shave off, what, 15 seconds?<\/p>\n

When mall cops zip around on Segways and airport personnel scoot around on golf carts, why can\u2019t we come up with a more efficient way to get people where they\u2019re going?<\/p>\n

How about walking escalators that are 10 times longer than the normal ones? Certain escalators could be \u201cexpress\u201d if they\u2019re bypassing a number of gates. What about indoor trolleys that circle the terminal, slow enough to allow people to hop on and off, but quick enough to shave real time off your walk? Golf cart taxis, bike-shares, whatever, but let\u2019s rethink the process of how we’re getting to our gates.<\/p>\n

3) Universal Wi-Fi<\/span><\/p>\n

I know many airports are improving their access to Wi-Fi, and a few around the world are actually implementing complimentary Wi-Fi in their terminals, but most are still dead zones in this regard.<\/p>\n

Sure you can shell out $30 to rent Wi-Fi for a few hours by a third-party service such as Boingo<\/a>\u00a0or AT&T, but why would I want to? That costs as much as I pay for one month of high-speed broadband at home. My guess is the number of people who actually pay for this service a day could be counted on two hands.<\/p>\n

The fact is, the technology is getting cheaper and easier to install. How about airports shell out the money and make it free for everyone? If the airports need the extra revenue to support the service, they can sell ad space on a few signs around the terminal, allowing companies to \u201csponsor\u201d the free internet. We’re in 2014 in a developed country; there\u2019s no excuse not to offer free, reliable internet access in our major transportation hubs.<\/p>\n

4) Fix Zone Boarding<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s time to do away with “zone boarding.” The truth of the matter is, allowing passengers to board according to zone is simply the most inefficient way to quickly seat everyone (which, I may add, helps with on-time departures \u2014 a goal of all airlines).<\/p>\n

Further, as soon as one zone begins to board, every single person in every other zone begins to line up themselves, as if they risked not getting a seat if they weren’t front and center the second their zone was called. The reality is, they know the sooner they get on, the better chance they have of fitting their carry-on luggage onboard.<\/p>\n

Why don’t all airlines board passengers randomly? A two-year study by American Airlines<\/a> showed that boarding passengers by random assignment shaved three to four minutes off of boarding times. Not a huge difference, but noticeable enough to warrant change.<\/p>\n

Or, how about boarding all window seats first, then middle seats, then the aisle, starting from the rear,\u00a0like United does?<\/a>\u00a0I always fly by the window, and I swear to God, every single time I get to my row, both other passengers are already sitting in their seats. If window seat passengers were seated first, then the time needed for people to get up and make way for others would be eliminated.<\/p>\n

5) Fix Ground Transportation Signage<\/span><\/p>\n

This one applies once you’ve left the airplane and are making your way home. I\u2019ve obtained a law degree and have traveled to over 30 countries in the past 6 years, and even I am continually perplexed and bewildered by the signage (or lack thereof) on how to exactly get from baggage claim to my destination in most cities. (God help the newbie visitor to New York City navigating the ground transportation options at one of its airports.)<\/p>\n

The truth is, the planning that goes into airport design for the terminal section where baggage and ground transportation meet is obviously an afterthought for most architects when designing terminals. My guess is they rightly know very few baggage claim areas make their way into glossy magazines or architectural publications upon completion, so why spend much thought into their design? The reason: because it’s so crucial to the flying experience.<\/p>\n

We may not be able to redesign airport terminals, but let\u2019s at least improve these areas. How about mandatory kiosks in the middle of the baggage claim where staff can easily answer questions, provide maps and point out proper exits while you\u2019re standing around for 20 minutes waiting for your bag? Sure you can refer to a sign or read a pamphlet, but nothing beats talking to a real human being for directions (especially if you can’t read the local language).<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s also institute some sort of universal signage system for exits: large green signs for taxis, blue for subways or trains, yellow for buses and red for parking (and let’s throw in some universal symbols for each just in case someone just happens not to speak English).<\/p>\n

There could also be a cooperative web site that gathers all this information, so all you had to do after landing was pull up one site or app on your phone and check out your options rather than having to search each airport’s website for information.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

6) Fix Boarding Passes<\/span><\/p>\n

Though boarding passes are increasingly going digital, the ugly truth is these paper remnants are going to be around for the next few years. So, while we\u2019re stuck with them, how about making them somewhat readable? Information seems to be placed randomly, the text is small, and worst of all, you would never want to keep them after your flight (I, for one, would love to keep boarding passes as mementos).<\/p>\n

The internet is rife with designers’ reimaginings of boarding passes. There’s a great design floating out there<\/a> that places the flight number, gate, seat assignment and zone in large, white text against a black background in the middle of the pass, then splashes the airline’s logo colors in the background and relegates the bar code to a small section in the bottom right corner. Other designers have suggested using graphics to distinguish different information (boarding zones, seat numbers and flight time), reducing pass sizes so they would fit neatly in your wallet or adding colors and a logo to the back.<\/p>\n

Though likely not a huge priority for airlines looking to save every penny they can, in the age of corporate homogenization, little touches like these can be the difference between a customer distinguishing one airline over another, and ultimately booking with them at the time of purchase.<\/p>\n

7) Sell Me Services and Items at the Gate<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m all for the airlines making more money, especially in ways that don\u2019t impact the cost of my actual ticket. Over the last few years, airlines have done wonders improving their bottom lines by making money off of everything but putting your behind in the seat.\u00a0Checked baggage, preferred seating, seating upgrades, in-flight meals, on-board entertainment, in-flight internet \u2014 you could easily rack up costs that total more than half your ticket price on just these add-ons alone, but why not offer some services that I really want and that I could purchase before I even got on the plane?<\/p>\n

While I\u2019m sitting at the gate using my newly free Wi-Fi, why not offer me a boatload number of ways to spend more of my money (or set up roaming kiosks that could be moved from gate to gate)?\u00a0While waiting I could rent a pair of noise-canceling earphones or a premium blanket and pillow for my flight. I could also be given the chance to order a variety of different food options that could be delivered to me just in time for boarding.<\/p>\n

What about last-minute toiletries I may need during my connection like toothpaste, a toothbrush, mouthwash, contact lens cleaner, ibuprofen, etc . . . ? The list goes on: a replacement phone charger, change of socks, baby formula, a hardcover bestseller, a back massage — these are all small items that could be sold at a premium to a captive, needy population, many of whom would be happy to pay the extra money for the convenience while they wait at their gate.\u00a0Why should airlines lose out on all this potential revenue to vendors in the terminal?<\/p>\n